Columbus North’s, from left, Bailee Scruggs (9) and Payton Morris (10) congratulate Lola Thompson (helmet in center) after Thompson hit a home run against Indianapolis Living Water Monday at Southside Elementary School.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
Columbus North tallied 16 hits at the plate in Monday’s softball season opener, with plenty of them going over the fence.
It seemed like a home run derby contest for the Bull Dogs, who tallied five home runs to rout Indianapolis Living Water 15-4 in five innings in their first game on the new turf field at Southside Elementary.
“We hit the ball well,” North coach TJ Jarvis said. “They’re a pretty good team over there. They got us the last two years. They beat us 9-1 two years ago and 4-3 last year at their place.”
North opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first when Morgan Jarvis led off with a single. Freshman Lyla Deweese smacked the ball to left field that hit the top of the fence and the wind helped the ball bounce on the other side of the fence for the two-run homer in her first high school plate appearance to put the Bull Dogs ahead 2-0 after one.
After the Marlins got one run back in the top of the second, the hit parade was on for North. Lola Thompson hit a solo homer run in her first high school plate appearance to start the huge eight-run rally. Morgan Jarvis hit a double, and then Payton Morris blasted a two-run homer over the right-center field fence to increase the lead to 6-1. After Bailee Scruggs slapped a single, senior Avery Shehan hit her first career home run to make it 8-1. Two batters later, Chezney Rutan capped off the rally with a two-run homer to make it 10-1 after the second inning.
“Our bats were hot all-around, and we saw a few things we need to work on too. Overall, it was a really good game.” Shehan said. “We definitely need to keep up the work in practice. Overall, it was a very good start.”
Living Water added three runs in the top of the third to make it 10-4. The Bull Dogs added five runs in the bottom of the fourth to seal it.
Morris went 3 for 3 with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs; and Deweese was 3 for 4 with a double, a home run and four RBIs. Morgan Jarvis went 3 for 4 with a double. Shehan finished 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs, Thompson went 1 for 2 with a home run two RBIs and Rutan was 1 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs.
Scruggs threw a complete game seven-hitter, striking out nine and walking none.
TJ Jarvis mentioned the Bull Dogs having a tough schedule this season. They passed the first test.
“The schedule is not going to be easy for us again. Every win we can get, we got to get it, for sure,” he said.
